Grating comprising a plurality of grating parts

ABSTRACT

A grating comprising a plurality of grating parts each formed by a plurality of spaced longitudinal and transverse strips intersecting one another, said grating parts being connected with one another by connecting means at least one slot being provided in the end portions of two grating strips of adjacent grating parts facing each other and being substantially in alignment with each other, each slot having a projection gripping into a slot or recess of a connecting means, which is provided with at least one slot, a locking means being provided which prevents the connecting means from moving out of the slots.

United States Patent De Jonge 1 1 Oct. 2, 1973 [S4] GRATING COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF 2,617,503 11/1952 Nagin 52/665 GRATING PARTS 469,635 2/1892 Hale 52/667 [76] Inventor: Martinus Catrinus De Jonge, F REI N PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Ha bema a 17,Bilthoven. 1,426,925 10 1960 France 52/667 Netherlands 551,113 11/1956 ltaly 52/664 221 Filed: Aug. 3, 1971 56207 I Germany Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistant ExaminerLeslie A. Braun Alt0rneyl(arl W. Flocks Aug. 3, 1970 Netherlands .1 70] I461 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 52/666, 52/664, 52/666, A grating Comprising a plurality of grating parts each 287/631 52/586 formed by a plurality of spaced longitudinal and trans- [51 IIPL Cl. E040 2/42 verse Strips intersecting one anotherY i g g parts [58] Field of Search 6 being connected with one another by connecting 726; 287/631 1041 20'924*20927 means at least one slot being provided in the end portions of two grating strips of adjacent grating parts facl56l Reierences C'ted ing each other and being substantially in alignment with UNITED STATES PATENTS each other, each slot having a projection gripping into 1,589,827 6 1926 Wessel 52 726 a slot or recess of a connecting me n whi h i pr 2,512,177 6/1950 Shaler 287/55 vided with at least one slot, a locking means being pro- 2,4S4,583 11/1948 Wisdy 52/668 vided which prevents the connecting means from mov- 1,988,118 1/1935 Green 52/668 i out f th l t 1,970,422 8/1934 Foster... 52/726 2,106,565 1/1938 Frank 287/63 7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures 5 s a g F k I H v 1 at -j L ll 7 Pmmmw'zmi 3762.124 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR BY A. w-F-Cows ATTORNEY GRATING COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF GRATING PARTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a grating comprising a plurality of grating sections each formed from a plurality of spaced intersecting longitudinal strips and transverse strips, said longitudinal strips and/or transverse strips being provided with slots with which parts of said transverse and/or longitudinal strips are in engagement. Such gratings may be used for numerous purposes, such as for ceilings, platforms and floors in boiler houses or machinery houses, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention aims at providing a simple connection of the grating sections so that said sections are reliably interconnected and fit well together and the possibility is provided of removing any grating section independently of the other grating sections and putting it again in place. This is of special advantage if the grating is used as a ceiling or floor, because as a result of the removal of the grating section or sections in question any place above the ceiling or below the floor is accessible. For this purpose the grating according to the invention is characterized in that at least in the end portions of two grating strips of two adjacent grating sections facing each other and being substantially in alignment with each other a slot is provided, the slots in said'grating strips being provided such that with adjoining grating sections they meet, and in each of said slots there is provided at least one projection or depression, a connecting means for said grating strips being provided comprising at least one slot or recess into which the projections of slots provided in at least two grating strips facing each other grip, and a locking means being provided which prevents the connecting means from moving out of the slots. The slots in the heads of the grating strips may preferably have an L-shape which is turned according to an angle of 90such that the long leg of the L is horizontal and the short leg points in downward direction. The projection projecting in each of the slots is then located in the foremost slot portion.

According to the invention the connecting means and the locking means may consist of a plate or strip and the height of the slot portions in the grating strips above the projections situated in said slots issubstantially equal to the thickness of the locking means. If the connecting means comprise two or more slots these are located at a distance fromeach other which is equal to the distance between the grating strips so that each slot may accommodate the heads of the opposite ends of two grating strips of adjacent grating parts. If the slots in the heads of the grating strips thereby have an L- shape which is turned according to an angle of 90 such that the long leg of the L is horizontal and the short leg points in downward direction, the projections grip into the slots of the connecting means. The connecting plate or strip thereby preferably has a thickness which is equal to the height of the projections. On said connecting plate or strip the locking plate or locking strip is slid which is of such thickness that it fills the slot space above the connecting plate or connecting strip and it preferably is clampingly held in said slot space.

If the connecting means has only one slot the connecting means according to the invention can be substantially U-shaped, the distance between the legs of the U being substantially equal to the thickness of the grating strips and the slot being provided in the body of the U. The legs of the U thereby grip around part of the grating strips in question so that they are firmly held thereon.

According to the invention the longitudinal and/or transverse strips are provided over their entire length with slots situated at a distance from each other which substantially are equal to the corresponding dimension of the grating meshes. In this way it is possible to obtain the grating strips by cutting off sections from the striplike or bandlike material which is provided over its entire length with such slots, the cutting line extending in the center of a slot so that the heads of all strips comprise an identical slot. It is preferred for the slots between the heads of the grating strips to have the shape of an inverted U.

According to the invention at least one aperture may be provided in the connecting means and in the locking means; in said apertures a bolt, pin or similar locking means is provided. The latter locking means may be embodied such that it can also serve as a suspension means for the grating sections in question.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings showing diagrammatically and by way of example some embodiments of the grating and of the means connecting the grating sections.

The drawings show in FIG. I a top plan view of part of a grating consisting of two adjoining grating sections;

FIGS. 2 and 3 on an enlarged scale a longitudinal section and a top plan view of part of said grating;

FIGS. 4 to 12 include connecting means and locking means in top plan view and in section respectively; and

FIG. 13 a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of said grating with plate members locked together by a bolt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The grating 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 comprises two grating sections 2 and 3 each composed in one of the manners known per se of spaced upstanding longitudinal strips 4 and spaced upstanding transverse strips 5 intersecting each other at right angles, said longitudinal and/or transverse strips being provided with slots with which the transverse and/or longitudinal strips are in engagement. The construction of said grating sections 2 and 3 itself does not form part of the invention so that it will not be described in detail.

The grating sections 2 and 3 are arranged against each other such that their longitudinal strips 4 are substantially in alignment.

Each end portion of the longitudinal strips 4 comprises a slot 6 having the shape of an L turned according to such an angle that the long leg thereof is horizontal while the short leg points in upward direction. In this way a slot is formed with a projection 7 in each of the end portions of the longitudinal strips 4. Said slots are provided in the longitudinal strips such that they meet when said longitudinal strips are pressed against each other.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a small connecting plate 8 which is slid into the slots 6. Said small connecting plate 8 has such a length that it is greater than the distance between two adjacent longitudinal strips 4. In said connecting plate there are provided two transverse slots 9 the center lines of which are situated at a distance from each other which is substantially equal to the corresponding dimension of the grating meshes so that, when the small connecting plate is slid into the slots 6 of the longitudinal strips 4, said transverse slots assume a position under the projections 7. When the small connecting plate 8 is slid in this way into the slots 6 it is moved upwards until the projections 7 grip into the slots 9 of said plate. The height of the projections 7 is substantially equal to the thickness of the small connecting plate. After the projections have entered the slots of the small connecting plate a small locking plate 10 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is slid into the slots 6 and below the small connecting plate. Consequently the projections 7 of the ends of the longitudinal strips cannot leave the slots 9 anymore so that the longitudinal strips in question are firmly interconnected.

As is apparent from the drawings the small connecting plate 8 has an aperture 11 and the locking plate an aperture 12, said apertures being provided in the plates such that, once said small plates have been inserted into the slots 6, said apertures face each other. In said apertures a bolt 20, pin, suspension hook or the like may be provided, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 12, so that both plates are locked relative to each other.

Since both small plates have a greater length than the distance between two adjacent longitudinal strips 4 and the mouth of the slot has a height which only equals the thickness of one plate, when the grating is assembled each of these small plates is put into the slots of adjacent pairs of longitudinal strips 4. After the grating parts have been pressed together the small locking plate is slid under or over the small connecting plate.

Obviously the longitudinal strips 4 may also be provided such that the projections are pointing in upward direction. In that case the small connecting plate is moved downwards over said projections and the small locking plate is placed on the small connecting plate.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a small connecting plate 13 comprising a ridge 14 and two slots 15 with a length which is substantially equal to the length of one projection. Said small connecting plate can only be slid in a direction transversal to the slots in question into the end portions of the longitudinal strips 4. The small locking plate thereby has half the width of the small connecting plate 8 and assumes a position at the other side of the small connecting plate than the ridge 14.

FIGS. 10 and 111 show a connecting means 16 which in cross-section is U-shaped. Such a U-shaped connecting means serves to connect two opposite ends of two longitudinal strips. The legs of the U are spaced apart over a distance which is substantially equal to the thickness of material of the longitudinal strips. In the body of the U there is provided a slot 17 to accommodate the projections 7 of the end portions. Since the legs of the U render the connecting means very rigid, they may be only thin. The small locking plate may be only so thin that it can easily be mounted.

FIG. 12 shows a connecting means which at two opposite sides comprises a recess 19, the width between said recesses being substantially equal to the distance between two sides, facing each other, of two successive grating strips. Said recesses are provided in the longitudinal direction of the grating strips. Obviously instead of recesses also slots could be applied, as is shown in dotted lines 20 at one side of the connecting means shown in FIG. 12.

It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings but that these may be modified in many ways without departing from the scope of the invention. This applies both for the shape of the slots and for the shape of the connecting and locking means. Instead of rigid locking means one may use locking means of deformable, for example flexible material in the form of rodlike, wire-like or band-shaped material, the ends of which after having been inserted in correspondingly shaped slots are bent. In this way said locking means are also locked. Deformable locking means may for example be easily applied in the embodiment of the small connecting plate according to FIGS. 8 and 9, because the locking plate is shaped like a narrow strip. If the grating consists both in the longitudinal and in the transverse direction of a plurality of components it is preferable to connect the transverse bars of the grating parts at various points in the manner described for the longitudinal rods. It is still to be noted that the invention is also particularly suitable for mounting grating parts behind which TL-tubes or other sources of light are provided.

What is claimed is: 1. A grating comprising a plurality of grating sections each formed from a plurality of grating strips including spaced intersecting longitudinal strips and transverse strips;

end portions'of at least two grating strips of two adjacent grating sections facing each other and substantially in alignment with each other, each having a slot provided therein meeting with the slot in the adjacent strip;

at least one projection in each of said slots;

a connecting means for insertion in said slots having a length greater than the distance between said two strips and including at least one recess means for receiving said projections;

and a locking means to hold said projections in the recesses of the recess means and to prevent said connecting means from moving out of said slot in said grating strips in adjacent relationship with said connecting means, the joint thickness of the locking means and the recess means being greater than the height of the slots above the projections.

2. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said connecting means and said locking means each having a plate-like form,

and said locking means having a thickness substantially equal to the height of the slot portions in said grating strips above said projections situated in said slots.

3. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said projections having a length which is substantially equal to half the length of said recess means of said connecting means.

4. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said connecting means and said locking means having at least one aperture each in alignment with each other,

and a pinning means inserted through said apertures to connect said connecting means and said locking means.

5. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said longitudinal strips provided over their entire length with said grating slots situated at a distance from each other which is substantially equal to the distance between spaced transverse strips.

6. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said transverse strips provided over their entire length with said grating slots situated at a distance from each other which is substantially equal to the distance between spaced longitudinal strips.

7. A grating comprising a plurality of grating sections each formed from a plurality of grating strips including spaced intersecting longitudinal strips and transverse strips;

end portions of at least two grating strips of two adjacent grating sections facing each other and substantially in alignment with each other, each having a slot provided therein meeting with the slot in the adjacent strip;

at least one projection in each of said slots;

a connecting means for insertion in said slots including at least one recess means for receiving said projections;

and a locking means to prevent said connecting means from moving out of said slot in said grating strips in adjacent relationship with said connecting means, further characterized by said connecting means having a substantially U- shape, and having the legs of the U-shape with a distance between them substantially equal to the thickness of said grating strips,

said recess means being provided in the body of the U of said connecting means. 

1. A grating comprising a plurality of grating sections each formed from a plurality of grating strips including spaced intersecting longitudinal strips and transverse strips; end portions of at least two grating strips of two adjacent grating sections facing each other and substantially in alignment with each other, each having a slot provided therein meeting with the slot in the adjacent strip; at least one projection in each of said slots; a connecting means for insertion in said slots having a length greater than the distance between said two strips and including at least one recess means for receiving said projections; and a locking means to hold said projections in the recesses of the recess means and to prevent said connecting means from moving out of said slot in said grating strips in adjacent relationship with said connecting means, the joint thickness of the locking means and the recess means being greater than the height of the slots above the projections.
 2. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said connecting means and said locking means each having a plate-like form, and said locking means having a thickness substantially equal to the height of the slot portions in said grating strips above said projections situated in said slots.
 3. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said projections having a length which is substantially equal to half the length of said recess means of said connecting means.
 4. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said connecting means and said locking means having at least one aperture each in alignment with each other, and a pinning means inserted through said apertures to connect said connecting means and said locking means.
 5. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said longitudinal strips provided over their entire length with said grating slots situated at a distance from each other which is substantially equal to the distance between spaced transverse strips.
 6. A grating according to claim 1, further characterized by said transverse strips provided over their entire length with said grating slots situated at a distance from each other which is substantially equal to the distance between spaced longitudinal strips.
 7. A grating comprising a plurality of grating sections each formed from a plurality of grating strips including spaced intersecting longitudinal strips and transverse strips; end portions of at least two grating strips of two adjacent grating sections facing each other and substantially in alignment with each other, each having a slot provided therein meeting with the slot in the adjacent strip; at least one projection in each of said slots; a connecting means for insertion in said slots including at least one recess means for receiving said projections; and a locking means to pRevent said connecting means from moving out of said slot in said grating strips in adjacent relationship with said connecting means, further characterized by said connecting means having a substantially U-shape, and having the legs of the U-shape with a distance between them substantially equal to the thickness of said grating strips, said recess means being provided in the body of the U of said connecting means. 